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Microbiome engineering is cutting-edge technology involving colonisation of the skin with microbes engineered to serve specific functions. These fast-growing and adaptable microbes may act as therapeutics to treat skin conditions by working with the skin’s natural biology to deliver effective treatments for aesthetic and medical dermatological purposes.
What we know:
A group of researchers engineered Cutibacterium acnes to secrete NGAL, a protein capable of reducing sebum production in skin by triggering destruction of sebocytes, with twofold reduction in sebocyte density observed after 48 hours (Knödlseder et al., 2024)
Engineered live strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis can induce antitumor activity in the cutaneous immune system through expression of melanoma tumour antigens that prime immune cells for destruction of local and metastatic melanoma lesions (Chen et al., 2023)
A biosensing Staphylococcus epidermidis has been engineered to detect and destroy the skin pathogen MRSA through selective secretion of anti-MRSA antimicrobials released when in the presence of the target species, allowing regions of the skin to be cleared of this population without affecting other commensals and for local bioremediation of the cutaneous environment to take place post-infection (Guan et al., 2022)
Non-cutaneous species of bacteria are also effective tools to target and reduce certain skin conditions. Topical application of Limosilactobacillus reuteri engineered to express human signalling molecules linked to wound repair was found to accelerate healing in human skin, with 76% of wounds healed after 32 days of treatment compared to just 59% of controls (Öhnstedt et al., 2023)
Probiotics can be engineered to produce active ingredients beneficial for the skin. Topical application of such strains can release biotherapeutics like anti-inflammatory compounds or growth factors encouraging growth and repair of skin cells, combating signs of ageing by promoting wound repair and strengthening barrier function (Callewaert et al., 2021)
Industry impact & potential:
Biotherapeutic companies are investing in genetically engineered bacteria for treatments, owing to their ease of application and precision. Azitra Inc uses microbial and protein engineering to devise novel therapeutics that treat skin conditions such as ichthyosis and Netherton syndrome, while Eligo Bioscience’s Eligobiotics® platform is capable of altering skin microbiome composition to selectively remove unwanted species linked to disease.
Our solution:
As an industry leader in microbiome testing, Sequential is able to offer an end-to-end platform for in-vivo validation of your product and Gold Standard Certification of its efficacy. We have also partnered with 60+ high-end brands in the cosmeceutical space to help conceptualise and bring their products to the forefront of the skin microbiome market.
References:
Callewaert C, Knödlseder N, Karoglan A, Güell M, Paetzold B. Skin microbiome transplantation and manipulation: Current state of the art. Comput Struct Biotechnol J. 2021 Jan 4;19:624-631. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.01.001. PMID: 33510866; PMCID: PMC7806958.
Chen, Y & Bousbaine, Djenet & Veinbachs, Alessandra & Atabakhsh, Katayoon & Dimas, Alex & Yu, Victor & Zhao, Aishan & Enright, Nora & Nagashima, Kazuki & Belkaid, Yasmine & Fischbach, Michael. (2023). Engineered skin bacteria induce antitumor T cell responses against melanoma. Science (New York, N.Y.). 380. 203-210. 10.1126/science.abp9563.
Guan C, Larson PJ, Fleming E, Tikhonov AP, Mootien S, Grossman TH, Golino C, Oh J. Engineering a "detect and destroy" skin probiotic to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 15;17(12):e0276795. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276795. PMID: 36520793; PMCID: PMC9754240.
Knödlseder, N., Fábrega, MJ., Santos-Moreno, J. et al. Delivery of a sebum modulator by an engineered skin microbe in mice. Nat Biotechnol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-02072-4
Öhnstedt E, Vågesjö E, Fasth A, Lofton Tomenius H, Dahg P, Jönsson S, Tyagi N, Åström M, Myktybekova Z, Ringstad L, Jorvid M, Frank P, Hedén P, Roos S, Phillipson M. Engineered bacteria to accelerate wound healing: an adaptive, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, first-in-human phase 1 trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2023 May 25;60:102014. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102014. PMID: 37251631; PMCID: PMC10220316.
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